Show or hide HP Smart Web Printing hpswp_BHO dll

does your printer have access to internet?
read the manual that came along with your printer or online help for HP web printing service.

I have been using smart web printing right along. But now for some reason I cannot access HP swp because I cannot access add ons and this is where IE decided to stick this program. I am afraid that the whole mess is due to updating to 8 and I have run into all kinds of problems when I uninstall and try to reinstall IE 7. My version of firefox (latest one) will not support HP swp either (not compatible)

oh, so you reinstalled IE8, it's ok to upgrade to newer version, just make sure you install that application/extenstion for HP swp after you've installed IE8. I don't know where you got it previously from (probably the installation CD that came with the printer) if you can't find it, you can probably find the SWP extension for IE on HP support website

That is not my problem. Easy download online for HPswp to reinstall. And again you can bring up the list of add-ons under Tools but cannot access any of them. You can right click, double click, etc. etc. but cannot get into them.

How did you access it before? Sorry I'm not familiar with the software you're talking about.
Was there a tool bar in IE that you just had to hit buttons on to use HP SWP?
Or was it a separate window that you had to open from IE?

from what I can gather from my IE ( I don't use it often)
there's an option to enable/disable add-ons for IE (where you can turn certain things on/off)
there's also an option to search for more (which takes you to MS website)

After you've installed the add-on, go to IE to View menu at the top.
Check under Toolbars and also under Explorer Bar, perhaps it's being installed but not added to IE interface by default so you have to do so yourself.

I've also found this